By Isaac Harold Gomes
Kolkata, July 15, 2026: Family, friends and admirers gathered July 12 at Christ the King Church in Kolkata for the 40‑day memorial service of Anthony Dilip Rozario, a musician‑composer revered for shaping Bengali liturgical music.
Rozario, who died June 2 at age 68, was remembered as a man of integrity, humility and peace.
At the outset, nephew Richard Nayan Rozario described his uncle as a “Messenger of God” and a perfectionist who quietly excelled in both music and accountancy.
Longtime collaborator Pranay Dutta praised his role in social‑awareness campaigns, while fellow musician John Shovan Gomes traced his journey from tabla school to pioneering Bengali adaptations of Gregorian chant.
Dilip’s wife, Rikta Rozario, called the service a celebration of his life and legacy, recalling his calm endurance through illness and hospitalization. “Till his last breath, Dilip always urged me to maintain peace despite all irritants,” she said.
Videos and tributes from siblings and relatives portrayed Dilip as gentle, calm and creative, relishing simple Bengali food and encouraging others to think beyond convention.
The service concluded with a performance by the Kolkata Christian Choir, founded by Rozario, whose passing leaves a profound void in Bengali church music.
(Photo supplied)
Dilip’s nephew and Master of Ceremonies Richard Rozario said that his uncle was a man of high integrity, humility and peace. A St Xavier’s Kolkata product, he was a perfectionist and stood 13th in all-India rank in Cost Accountancy Final Examination. Dilip’s sister-in-law Basabi Rozario reminisced that Dilip took both his profession and his music very seriously. He would religiously do ‘reyaz’ (practice of Indian classical music) under his guru. She added that Dilip was such an excellent worker ( Senior Vice President of SREI Equipment Finance Ltd) that his bosses retained him even after his retirement.